HC order to close illegal brick kilns: Business soar up in Thadagam valley, due to delay in action by officials - Activists allege
The Madras High Court, on February 10 directed District Collector, Revenue Department, Mines Department including Coimbatore North Tahsildhar and VAO’s involved to immediately take action against 183 illegally functioning brick kilns in Thadagam valley, here.
The HC had also ruled out that mining of sand is against the law and added that the local authorities have turned blind eye towards addressing the issue.
Further, it is told by the local authorities that notice has been served to all 183 brick kilns that are still operating illegally in five panchayats in Thadagam valley. Activists say that nearly 200 brick kilns operate in that area.
Acting on the instructions of T.M.S. Rajendran, the writ petitioner, a three member advocate team from Coimbatore has issued legal notices to Forest department, TANGEDCO, Mines department, Police department, LPA, HR&CE, TNPCB, RDO North, Transport department, to take necessary remedial measures immediately.
However, even days after being issued the notice, the business of those illegal brick Kilns only continue to rise.
The notice also highlighted the plight of the general public and farmers in the Thadagam Valley due to the operation of such illegal brick kilns.
“The residents of Thadagam valley and adjoining areas where sand mining happens have been subjected to serious health ailments. While, some have even died due to environmental pollution. More than Rs.1,80,000 crore worth ofminerals have been illegally taken swindled by these brick kilns. Taxes, fees penalities of various categories more than Rs. 50,000 crores has been evaded both the above causing loss to the ex-chequer. Rain water redirection, local percolation has caused serious depletion in ground water level in localized Coimbatore North Taluk and farmlands in 350 http://sq.km area, approximately", read the legal notice served to the departments mentioned above.
The notice further stated that every category of land in the area has been illegally occupied, quarried and misused. Illegal sheds, structures, illegal use of electricity and other resources has been ongoing unabated. Social workers who have raised objections and petitioned concerned departments with specific requests were physically assaulted, false cases have been foisted against them. Their houses were targeted and family members threatened, allegedly by the owners of such illegal brick kilns."
"Over 9,500 acres of land in these five panchayat have become a scape goat for these brick kilns owners to mine sand. It is witnessed that the business soared up here as they now paced up mining even during late nights, alternating shifts using tractors besides lorries. A team of environment engineers from Ramanathapuram, Nagapattinam, Krishnagiri and Namakkal had on 12-02-2019 inspected the spot and declared to close the illegal kilns before 17-03-2020 but the officials refused to obey the order too", alleged Ganesh, an activist from Thadagam, who is one of the activists fighting against these brick kilns owners.
It is told that the District Forest officer Venkatesh has also been taken this issue to the District Collector K.Rajamani, only to witness no action. The Forest officer, however, could not be reached for further comments.
Asking about the contempt of court proceedings petition against these owners, Ganesh, the activist told that it will soon be filed in the court, as they are awaiting for the sanction. He says that, of the 36, only 12 petitions to initiate the proceedings have been given acknowledgment, so far.
VAO Senthil Kumar of Thadagam, refused to answer on the status of the matter, while Jothi Prakash, VAO of Nanjundapuram said the notice has been served to the brick kilns owners under instruction of district officials. However, he did not specify the details of the notice.
Ganesh, further said that TANGEDCO too, violated norms by erecting EB lines, helping the offenders to operate.
While the functioning of brick kilns clearly indicates violation in all forms, the order passed by two judge bench headed by Justice Banerjee and Senthil Kumar on 10-02-2021, also shows the incapability of TNPCB to ensure closure of illegal brick kilns.
It is learnt that mining, transporting and stocking the natural resource is a crime under Sections 4 (1) and 4 (1-A) of the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulations) Act 1957.
How these brick kilns contribute to pollution
Generally, a brick kiln is 120 ft high with a 100 ft chimney which is around 12 ft high, 32 ft in length and 10 ft in width. It requires 234-250 tonnes of coal for operation of a brick kiln.
The emissions from these brick kilns with these amount of coals can be anywhere around 500 to 1500 mg/Nm3 inclusive of carbon, sulphur and several other harmful gases. It is unclear that the brick kilns in Thadagam valley functions using new or old technology, and emission levels differs, accordingly.
It also accounts for the changes in Air quality index (AQI) in the City besides others that contribute to rise in pollution.
During the lockdown the AQI was at the level of PM 2.5 in the air and 26.11 micrograms per cubic metre, according to the source in SIDCO in Kurchi. However, after Diwali and Bogi, the city maintained the same, which according to the officials is not bad. But the functioning of these brick kilns worries the locals, as it has the potential to increase pollution in air.
Activists have increased the pressure on all officials and departments concerned, after they continue to take any sort of action. Activists turn up heat on these officials and allege that the delay by officials in initiating action, only gives false hope to these brick kilns to operate against HC order.
"We are not demanding for the closure of all brick kilns immediately, at least temporary halt of illegal brick kilns would give us some relief and hope", lament the activists.